# Why do we have to put up with Religious People? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 7, 2020, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474 "2020-08-07T06:20:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 27
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/523 "2020-08-13T23:05:17Z")
I just turn on my “To me” filter and anything anyone says conveniently fits my already existing conclusion. CMC ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/524 "2020-08-13T23:05:51Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > And how many people say that? I have NEVER heard it myself. You MUST be joking. I just… what? Even Trump said BS to that effect: [https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/10/13/trump-values-voter-summit-christmas-nr-sot.cnn](https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/10/13/trump-values-voter-summit-christmas-nr-sot.cnn) And I’m sure all the people cheering were edited in by the lying liberal media? ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/525 "2020-08-13T23:11:12Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > And yes, the ways that practicing Christians celebrate Christmas inescapably permeate the USA celebration. Tbf, the traditional way to celebrate Christmas is to go to Church 😃. No doubt the carol singing is an explicitly religious activity (though seems to be less common three days). The gift stuff which seems to be most of the holiday these days has definitely become a secular endeavor as much as a religious one. And I say this as someone who grew up Muslim (and didn’t celebrate Christmas) and was an Atheist for a decade ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/526 "2020-08-14T01:22:10Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > And even when their error was pointed out, there was no “oops, sorry” or emily littela. The degree to which they don’t pay taxes is not actually the issue. They still don’t pay a huge amount. Yes, $10 billion is less than the original mistaken amount. $10 billion is a lot of money. Oh, by the way, you didn’t respond to the correction to your erroneous claim in #426 where you asserted that churches pay sales tax. (see posts #430 & #431) No “oops, sorry” or emily littela. (the last website I could find that had any info on this stated “More than 30 states offer sales tax exemption.” Since 45 states have a sales tax, that’s a decent percentage. Info on this is exceedingly difficult to pull up without going to every single state website. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/527 "2020-08-14T01:28:02Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > > [@needscoffee](#): > > > > The “aggressive” atheists are responding to the religious people who can’t seem to keep it to themselves or to stop imposing their beliefs on others. > > Not in all cases by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, if I read him correctly, the OP of this thread is basically stating that he should be able to tell off any religious person he comes in contact with simply because he doesn’t like them As was pointed out, the OP was a sock/troll. He was trying to stir up people here with annoying and irrational statements. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/528 "2020-08-14T03:46:44Z")
are you of the opinion I watch trump? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/529 "2020-08-14T03:48:24Z")
Well, in CA there is no such exemption. I am surprised that many states give one. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/530 "2020-08-14T15:21:48Z")
Maybe I should have been clearer, the WAY they celebrate Christmas might vary but I wouldn’t be surprised at an 80% or greater number of families in the US celebrate Christmas. So the way they celebrate might differ, but they sure do still celebrate it. I was mistaken, it isn’t 80%, it’s 93% > **[What Percentage of Americans Celebrate Christmas?](https://news.gallup.com/poll/272357/percentage-americans-celebrate-christmas.aspx)** > > Christmas is everywhere you turn during the holiday season, but is it for everyone? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/531 "2020-08-14T15:48:22Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > So the way they celebrate might differ, but they sure do still celebrate it. > > I was mistaken, it isn’t 80%, it’s 93% It really raises the question of what “celebrate” means in this context. Some years we don’t buy a tree, don’t decorate anything, but will have a nice meal (maybe at a Chinese restaurant) and exchange some gifts. If you asked my wife, she would say we’re celebrating Christmas even in those years. I suppose we are, but it certainly isn’t a 4 month holiday extravaganza like many seem to enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/532 "2020-08-14T15:56:36Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > are you of the opinion I watch trump? So you still deny that this is a thing that people say? You maintain your erroneous claim? N9 “oops, sorry”? I don’t see much reason to continue engaging with you. Come back when you’re ready to talk about the real world rather than the fantasy world you apparently live in. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/533 "2020-08-14T15:59:51Z")
You are probably right, it would come down to whether people identify whatever it is they do around that “season” as a celebration. For me, it’s easy, I have kids (they get presents) and we have a tree etc Maybe if someone asked a more nuanced question about what they do to celebrate. 4 month extravanganza … ugh I hate hearing Christmas music ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/534 "2020-08-14T16:37:21Z")
I never claimed no one ever said that I said _“And how many people say that? I have NEVER heard it myself.”_ Reading. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/535 "2020-08-14T16:47:47Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I never claimed no one ever said that I said _“And how many people say that? I have NEVER heard it myself.”_ Well, the answer to your question is, “tons and tons of people say it”. And if you’ve “NEVER” heard anyone say it, it appears you aren’t equipped for an informed discussion on the topic; since you’ve made it quite clear you have no interest in becoming informed, I have no interest in discussing this with you further. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/536 "2020-08-14T18:02:21Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > Maybe I should have been clearer, the WAY they celebrate Christmas might vary but I wouldn’t be surprised at an 80% or greater number of families in the US celebrate Christmas. > > So the way they celebrate might differ, but they sure do still celebrate it. > > I was mistaken, it isn’t 80%, it’s 93% I didn’t say people don’t celebrate it. I didn’t even say no people who don’t think of themselves as Christians celebrate it; in fact, I specifically said that some do. What I said, and continue to say, was that even though some secular people celebrate it, it’s still basically a religious holiday. Your statistic has no application to that statement. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/537 "2020-08-14T20:53:13Z")
It has application this: 93% is a huge number Either one of two things is true, religious people are an overwhelming majority of the populace and thus your opinion matters not one whit Or there are quite a number of people (likely more than the dismissive “some”) that don’t find the celebration of Christmas to be a religious holiday I’d estimate half ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/538 "2020-08-14T21:06:42Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > religious people are an overwhelming majority of the populace and thus your opinion matters not one whit Are you seriously saying that the opinions of people in the minority don’t matter at all? In any case, if Christian religious people are an overwhelming majority of the populace, then my opinion that Christmas is a religious holiday must be correct, and your original claim that it isn’t must be incorrect. > [@Kearsen1](#): > > Or there are quite a number of people (likely more than the dismissive “some”) that don’t find the celebration of Christmas to be a religious holiday Lots of people don’t think it’s a religious holiday. Lots of other people do. Some of the people who don’t think it’s a religious holiday think this because they’re so imbued with thinking that it’s normal that they don’t notice indicators that stand out to others. > [@Kearsen1](#): > > I’d estimate half Based on what? Your own cite from Gallup says that 71% say it’s a religious holiday for them. Add to that some percentage, not noted by Gallup, that believe it’s a religious holiday but it’s not one for them because they’re not Christians, and the percentage that says it’s a religious holiday must be greater than 71%. What I was originally responding to was this post from DrDeth: > [@DrDeth](#): > > Christmas, at least in the USA, is 90% a secular holiday. and some figure greater than 71% saying it’s religious doesn’t sound remotely like 90% secular to me. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/539 "2020-08-14T21:08:31Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > My grandmother was vehemently atheist, and one of her six children became religious. My parents never practiced, and while their children weren’t raised specifically atheist, we were raised with no religious education or practice. One of my sisters became sort of religious, and two of her children considerably more so. Getting to urban redneck’s question: > [@urbanredneck2](#): > > Now the question would be, who’s family would have the hardest time of this? Were any of the people who became religious in contrast to the beliefs of their parents shunned by the family for their beliefs? This definitely happens the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/540 "2020-08-14T21:15:24Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Were any of the people who became religious in contrast to the beliefs of their parents shunned by the family for their beliefs? This definitely happens the other way around. Shunned? Not in my family, not for that reason; though my grandmother was apparently furious at her son for bringing a religious text into her house (which he still lived in at the time, I think he was in his teens.) Do any non-religious people shun family members who become religious? That I don’t know; I don’t know everybody’s family, and can’t think of a specific case in my knowledge, though I know more than one case in which one or more family members won’t speak to one or more of the others, for a variety of other reasons. Not all religious people practice shunning, either – I think these days that’s limited to a few sects. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/541 "2020-08-14T21:22:50Z")
In an overwhelming majority, when it comes to crafting legislation, then no the minority opinion matters very little I see what you were responding to and like I already responded to a different poster, the actual question matters a great deal Being “religious” for a great many people is simply having the origin be religious I can see how 71% think Christmas religious, what if you called it Xmas? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474/542 "2020-08-14T21:28:27Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > In an overwhelming majority, when it comes to crafting legislation, then no the minority opinion matters very little So for example, if the overwhelming majority which is made up of one ethnic group decide that they want a solution with some finality to the pesky minority in their midst, then the opinion of the minority on the matter matters very little? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-to-put-up-with-religious-people/917474.md?page=28)